Non-refillable bottle.



H. BECKER.

NON-BEFILLABLE BOTTLE.

APPLICATION mum mm. 20, 1914.

1,1 1 6,972. 1 Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

Pi g. 1.

7 Wims. Hlnvergor.k arry ec er,

- b y Aflys THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHDWLITHQ. WASHINGTON. D Cv TnsTATEs.PAT NTonmon; i

HARRY BECKER, o1? HULL, MASSACHUSETTS.

' nQ -REFILLABLE BOTTL Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Nov. "10, 1914.

. 1 Application filed March 20, 1914. Serla1N0.826 ,105.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, HARRY BECKER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hull, county of Plymouth, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented an'Improvement in Non-Refillable' Bottles, ofwhich thefollowing description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is aspecification, like characters on the drawing representlng llke'parts.

This invention has reference to bottles of the type known asnon-refillable bottles.

Such bottles are so constructed that it'is practically impossible or sodifiicult to refill them that re-filling, would not beattemptedcommerciallyv by retail dealers.

Certain types of liquid are" sold by manufacturer to retail dealers inlarge 'supply. bottles and then re-sold in small quantities by theretailer to individual consumers.

It is an easy matter for dishonest retailers to I re-fill bottlesbearing the name and trade:

mark of a well known manufacturer with cheap and inferior. substitutesthereby cheating the customer and damagingthe reputation ofthemanufacturer. For this reason there is a growing demand amongmanufacturers for non-refillable. bottles, that is,; bottles which thereailercannot re-fill commercially.

tion, thereby permitting the contents to be poured out but preventingthe re-filling of the bottle. by the retailer. Another object'is toprovide an improved bottle of this type having a movable valve.

and means to prevent the movement of the valve to open position'when thebottle is in anupright or substantially upright position. i

The object of this invention is to provide an improved bottle of thisvtype having a; simple and cheaply constructed stopper which willautomatically open when the bottle E is inverted. andautomatically"closeand stay closed when the bottle is in any other posi-J taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 1; and Fig. ,4 is

a sectional view taken on the line 4l,"

,eferring to thedrawings in detail, the bottle which may be of anysuitable or de--.'.i

parts in detail; Fig. 3 isa sectionalview 751 sired shape or size isindicated at land has I a long neck 2 preferably closed at its upper endby the usual cork crown seal or other removable closure, the formerbeing illustrated ispositioned in theneck2 preferably close to the bodyof theibottle.- This stopper is so designed that it automatically-openswhen the bottle is inverted,bnt closes and remains closed'whenthebottleisin any otherposition, andalso{closesautomatically'if it be." a I.75 1 i attempted toforce the liquid, into the bottle under pressure.

The stopper illustrated comprises a. tubur lar member 4 having anupwardly presented valve seat 5 at its .upper end and a downwardlypresented conical cam surface. 6 at its lower end, with a closing memberconsisting of a valv'e'stem 7 ,to the upper and I .at 3.v In accordancewith my invention'a I;

non-removable stopper in the form of a valve lower. ends of whichrespectively are; Se-

cured a valve 8 and a weightv 9 with a fulcrum member 10. slidably and'rotatably mounted therebetween. ,lilheweight 9 and the fulcrum member10 are, in the preferred form, slidably mounted on the valve stem 7 andthe'stem 7 is provided with ahead as indicated atll'in Fig. .2. In thepreferred spindle that if anattemptbemadeto fill" the bottle by shakingit or, by giving it suddenjars the fulcrum member will move upwardly andbecome wedged upon theyvalve stemin position close tothe cam surface 6and thereby preventmove'ment of thevalve upward away fromthe valveseat15 in response to such shaking. The stopperis done by securingthetubular member in the n Qk of the bottleby sealing materiall12;

Cork or similar material of an expansive nature, is j preferablyemployed for this pur- 7 ice permanently fixed in position, in thebottle,:; and --in the constructionillustrated this-is posevand the bestresults are secured by pro- I the bottle asito provide an annular recess14 on the interior thereofl Thus when the viding grooves or recesses 13on theperiph.-

cry of the tubular member 4 and so'shaping stopper and cork areforcedinto place the form also the valve stem :7, is tapered and them fulcrummember so fits upon this tapered the bottle has a downward taper in thesection occupied by the cork or sealing material by which it is furthercompressed and a tight fit under all conditions. is insured.

The valve 8 is preferably of a generally conical shape so that it maythe more readily be drawn to its seat when the bottle is returned tohorizontal or upright position after pouring and it is preferably ofspherical shape at that portion which engages the seat to insure aperfect fit in all angular positions of the valve stem. The fulcrummember is positioned between the valve and weight to cooperate with thecam surface when the bottle is in a generally horizontal position andslides thereon to draw the valve to the seat 5 and hold it thereagainst.It is of such a size that it cannot enter that part of the tubularmember above the cam surface 6 and is of such a shape that it will notinterfere .with the flow of liquid. This member is illustrated as havingthree radial fins 15 and centrally bored to receive the valve stem 7.

The tubular member 4 is provided with two upwardly extending members 16diametrically opposite each other to provide support. for apivotedlocking member 17. These upwardly extending members areillustrated as forming support also for a top plate or shield 18 whichprevents access toithevalve, the sealing material and the bottleinterior.

The pivoted lockingmember 17 is of a length to extend close to the valve8 so that I when the bottle is in upright position and the lockingmember hanging downward upward movement of the valve by any means isimpossible. In its preferred form this looking member is sector-shapedso that even if the bottle is tilted considerably to one side thelocking member will still be in a position to prevent the unseating ofthe valve by engaging the center thereof and in the plane of its axis.The lower end of this member is thickened as indicated at 19 to increaseits weight and-cause itto swing more freely. As

a convenient method of connecting the locking member to the supports 16I secure a pivot pin 20 in the supports and provide collars 21 and 22 toretain the locking member in central position thereon and adapted toswing in the plane ofthe axis of the valve and valve stem.

' The shape of the valve as previously described is such that as'itbears against the valve seat when the bottle is laid in a horizontalposition, the valve tends to move to open position by sliding along thevalve seat. In order to counteract this tendency the weight is soproportioned and so spaced .ing to properly operate. Ample space isalfrom the bearing portion of the fulcrum member that it balances theWeight of the valve 8 as "the bottle is in horizontal position. By thisexpedient substan tially the whole weight of the closing member bearsupon the cam surface, and hence slides down the cam surface to therebydraw the valve to its seat making it impossible to pour liquid into thebottle when in a horizontal position. Since the weight 9 is slidablymounted on the stem 7 the seating of the valve 8 is further insured. Anyshaking or vibration given the bottle thus causes the valve and theweight to act successively forcing the valve to its seat to prevent anyattempt surreptitiously to fill the bottle;

It will. thus be seen that the device embodying this invention is ofexceedingly simple construction.

The device in its preferred form comprises but few parts the tubularmember presenting a valve seat and cam surface, the valve with its valvestem, the weight, the fulcrum I member, the pivoted locking member andthe 90 shield which is rigidly securedto the tubular member. The partsare so shaped and constructed that there is practically no liability oftheir getting out of order or faillowed for the liquid to be withdrawnfrom the bottle by pouring, and liquid of the greatest viscosity canreadily be .thus poured.

The fulcrum member being freely revoluble and slidable on the valve stemacts automatically to clear the device of any sediment orslight'obstruction which may get through with the liquid. When the partsare inplace it is practically impossible to reach, injure ormutilatethem or'to remove them from the bottle. The parts are allconcealed in the neck of the bottle so that the bottle presents theordinary and usual appearance.

The several parts of the device may be made of any suitable material butobviously of such a material that they will'not impair or injure thecontents. of the bottle or be themselves subjected to corrosion,preferably therefore these parts will be made of material platedorcovered with tin, porcelain or the coating used on well known agateware. The valve 8 proper may be made of other material, such as hardrubber' if desired, or when practicable. It is only necessary that thereshould be a close fit between. the valve and its seat.

The fulcrum member and weight may be considered broadly as two weights.Both weights are loosely mounted upon the valve stem. Accordingly,certain advantages are obtained, for example, when the bottle is givena' vibrating movement, the weights operate against each other andthereby tend toprevent the unseating of the valye.

Having thus described my inventlon what 0 I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is;

1. The combination with a bottle, ofa tubular member permanently securedin the neck of the bottle and having an upwardly presented valve seatand a downwardly presented cam surface,a closing member freely movablein said tubular member comprising a tapered valve stem, a valvesecuredthereto, a member slidably mounted onthe valve stem andpositioned to engage the tapered portion of the valve stem to be wedgedthereupon and a shield positioned in the neck of the bottle to preventaccess to the parts.

2. The combination with a bottle, of a tubular member permanentlysecured in the neck of the bottle and having an upwardly presented valveseat and a downwardly presented cam surface, and a closing member freelymovable 111 said tubular member comprising a tapered valve stem, a valveand a 'weight connected thereto,a fulcrum member slidable on the valvestem between the valve and weight but so constructed that when in itsuppermost position relative to said valve stem it will become fixedrelative thereto and will engage the cam surface to. prevent upwardmovement of said closing member.

'stantially upright or an inverted position.

Intestimony whereof, I have signed my 4 3. In combination with a bottle,a tubular member of less diameter than the interiordiameter of thebottle neck, means a fulcrum member slidably mounted on sai valve stemand adapted to engage said cam. v

surface and a pivotallyfmounted locking member in said cylindricalchamber :above said valve-adapted to engage the same axially and tocooperate with said weight and fulcrum to seat said valve whenfthebottle is placed in any position other than a subname to thisspecification, in the presence of two subscrlblng witnesses.

HARRY BECKER;

Witnesses:

GEORGE H. EDEN, THOMAS J. DRUMMOND.

Copies of thin patent may be obtained for fiveicents each," 'byaddressing the Commissioner of intents, ,1 Washington, D. O

